Why is it that in our imagined fantasies, Asian countries are the bad guys? In light of the pandemic, I feel like this is even more important to talk about. What internal biases do we hold as a country if this is our default bad guy? Continue reading
Tag Archives: Australian literature
Reading Race in “The White Girl”: A review of Tony Birch’s novel
I didn’t always enjoy audiobooks, but in recent years I have been loving them. I tend to stick to nonfiction books, but I do occasionally go for some fiction when I listen. I had seen Tony Birch’s latest novel in a few book shops and every time I would go in, I would pick it … Continue reading
"Paris Savages" Review: how do we write about uncomfortable history?
Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. Clicking through for additional information or to make a purchase may result in a small commission. I picked up a copy of Paris Savages when I was in Hobart, Tasmania this February. Thinking about how easy it was to fly there and how care-free we were is a … Continue reading
There Is Something Rotten In Corporate Australia: a review of Eliot Perlman’s novel, “Maybe the Horse Will Talk”
I am no stranger to pitfalls of corporate work. I have experienced everything from verbal abuse, sexual harassment, and discrimination to then watch it all get covered up by HR and middle management. You could say I might be a little jaded when it comes to my opinions on corporate life, but then that wouldn’t … Continue reading
“Boy Swallows Universe”: Housos, casual violence, and courage in Trent Dalton’s debut novel
This was the first book I bought after arriving back in Australia in October 2019. It is hard to miss this book; it has won quite a few literary awards, is in all the book shops, K-Marts, and Targets around, and as one of my friends put it: ‘It is now on the list of … Continue reading
The Romanticisation of Bush Life: a review of Todd Alexander’s “Thirty Thousand Bottles of Wine and Pig Called Helga”
I picked up Todd Alexander’s memoir Thirty Thousand Bottles of Wine and A Pig Called Helga because, to put it simply, wine and pigs are a few of my favourite things. The memoir also takes place in cities and regions where I grew up, and I wanted to feel that nostalgia of having my hometown … Continue reading
Bookish Travels Around Australia
I haven’t been able to do the blog post schedule that I like to keep here because I have been visiting my home country, Australia. If you’ve ever lived overseas, you know that visiting home is never quite a relaxing holiday. You spend half your time coordinating when to see people and the other half … Continue reading
“The Land Before Avocado”: a truly bittersweet look at Australia’s past
When I saw The Land Before Avocado by Richard Glover I knew I had to read it. Not only am I missing Australia a little bit these days, but I also felt drawn to the title, which I assume is a not so subtle reference to millionaire real estate mogul Tim Gurner and his ‘advice’ … Continue reading
A Review of “Happy Never After”: owning our sadness, grief, and all those other uncomfortable things adults never talk about
I am frustrated today. Honestly, the day could not have felt more shitty if it tried. Sure, there were lots of okay things that happened, but my general mood has oscillated between “Fuck this” and verging on tears. I am currently looking for work, an arduous task done in silence and solitude because heaven forbid … Continue reading
A Review of Historical Texts on the Death Penalty and How They Shaped My Opinion on Capital Punishment
Noose: True Stories of Australians Who Died at the Gallows written by Xavier Duff is a brief history of some of Australia’s most infamous capital punishment cases. The book opens with the Mile Creek massacre, which was one of the first times recorded in Australian history where white Australians were trialed and found guilty of … Continue reading
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